Professional Stylist and Mom Lizzie Curtis Fires up a Jewelry-making Business

Born and raised in the South Bay, Lizzie’s creative eye was evident early on. As a child, she would comment on certain design aspects of the homes she passed on her walks in Manhattan Beach with her mom. As a crafty teenager, she made earrings from beads she sourced at the bead shop on Artesia. Her parents helped foster her creativity, and as soon as she was able to get a work permit, Lizzie worked at The Beehive in Downtown Manhattan Beach.

Society Nautique pieces are special but approachable. “Society” was an important part of the name—it reflects Lizzie’s love of people and community.

This opened her eyes to the fashion industry. While still in high school she started a jewelry line named Lizzie C, which she supplied to the local boutique Katwalk.

On returning home early from Northeastern University in Boston, Lizzie started working for a mom-and-pop shoe company in the South Bay—a move that launched her career in styling. Styling perfectly combined her skills of being a good communicator, knowing how to incorporate the client’s ideas and putting it all together with a unique eye. She got a few lucky breaks early on working for big brands like Nike, Target and Coca-Cola.

Lizzie always made jewelry as a side hustle to her styling. She took metal-making classes, researching and experimenting along the way. Although she could buy the components like chains from a supplier, she enjoyed working with the torch, the metal and the hammer to create unique designs completely by hand. She started selling her pieces on set and through friends, but things started to gain traction through Instagram.

As the advertising work came to a halt because of COVID-19, Lizzie used the time to be home with her three young children, Duke, Ruby and Hank, and to renew her focus on her jewelry line. Through her expanding social media profile, her little jewelry business began to grow exponentially, and Society Nautique became her main focus.

The name Society Nautique was inspired by her honeymoon trip with husband Kyle through the Basque country of France. “The rich, elegant, nautical culture of Biarritz is like stepping into an ocean of history,” she says of the seaside French town.

Living near the ocean today, Lizzie finds it a source of inspiration, and her effortless, beach-girl style infuses her designs. Timeless and distinctive yet pairing perfectly with everyday fashion, Society Nautique pieces are special but approachable. “Society” was an important part of the name—it reflects Lizzie’s love of people and community.

By accident, Lizzie has also become a successful mommy-blogger on Instagram. It started as a creative outlet to display her pieces, but after she became a mother it also became a way to connect and share experiences. She shows not only the pretty and perfect moments but also the trials and challenges that come along with motherhood.

It’s that authenticity that has endeared her to her rapidly growing following. She has been deeply moved by all the comments in response to her open and brutally honest posts. The connection to others through their shared experience is real and fulfilling. From breastfeeding, nanny mom-guilt or doing DIY projects to openly discussing her body image woes, Lizzie has covered it all. For her, it just means she is human.

Pouring her authentic self into her blog and her jewelry sets Lizzie apart and raises her work to a level that connects deeply with others. Whether she’s juggling three kids or melting a hunk of metal with a blowtorch, Lizzie handles it with the care and dedication that makes us want to cheer her on to ever greater success.